Leveler and dirt-scraper



L.L MITCHELL LEVELER AND DIRT. SCRAPER.

APPUCAHON HLEDJUNE29,I92&

1 ,400,968 Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

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INVENT0R.

W ATTORNEYS.

L. J. MITCHELL.

LEVELER AND DIRT SCRAPER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, I920.

1,400,968. Patented 1m. 20, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVELER AN D DIRT-SGRAPER.

Application filed June 29,

To all'whome't may concern.

Be it known that I LoUIs JAMES MITCH- ELL, a citizen of the U nited States, and resident of Dinuba, in the county of Tulare and the State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Levelers and Dirt-Scrapers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a wheeled scraper, and more specifically to a scraper which is carried on four wheels, which can be readily filled with earth when the scraper is moving forward and the bowl is adjusted for filling, which is easily transported on the wheels, and which can be adjusted to spread the dirt. Other objects will be referred to in the specifications. I accomplish these objects by means of the device hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top plan View of the scraper complete; Fig. 2 is a side view showing the scraper in position for loading. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fractional side view of the pawl and ratchet for raising and lowering the scraper bowl. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the scraper with the bowl in position for dumping the earth, parts being broken away to show the mechanism. Fig. 5 is a separate view of the scraper bowl partly in section.

In said drawings I have constructed a carriage consisting of front wheels 2, carried on front axle 3, rear wheels 4 carried on rear axle 5, an upright 3 on front axle 3, an upri ht 5 on rear axle 5, and a rectangular rame resting on said uprights. The rectangular frame consists of lineal supports 6 and 6 and cross ties 7, and 7 connecting the ends of the lineal supports. To strengthen the frame I have provided trusses 8 and 8 for each of the supports 6 and 6*. B is the scraper bowl, constructed with two sides 9 and 9 a bottom 10, a back end-gate 11 and a-front end-gate 12. The back end-gate 11 is composed of a main gate portion 11 and wings 11 and 11 attached rigidly thereto, which wings are pivoted to the sides 9 and 9 so that normally the main portion ll when lowered will close the back of the scraper bowl, but it can be raised so that the gate is opened. The front gate 12 is also constructed with a main gate. por- Specification of Letters Patent.

oted to the front axle.

Patented'D-ec. 20, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 392,869.

tion 12 which has wings 12 and 12 on either side thereof hinged to the sides 9 and 9 so that the gate can be closed or opened gyrbelng raised. It will be noted that in ng the scraper bowl the back gate 11 should be closed and the front gate 12 raised. By raising the front gate it is opened. In transporting the scraper when loaded, both gates are preferably closed, and in dumping the scraper the rear gate 11 should be opened. I have accomplished the automatic openlng and closing of the gates at the times 1nd1cated as follows. Transversely across the supports 6 and 6 and directly over the rear of the'scraper bowl is a shaft 13 which 1s adapted to rotate in bearing 13 and 13. At each end of shaft 13 are eccentric pins 14. 15 are hangers, one of which is pivoted at one end to each side of the scraper bowl adjacent to the rear, the other end of the hanger having a slotted portion 15 through which hanger 15 is pivoted to eccentric pin 14. 16 is a handle whereby the shaft 13 can be turned and locked in the position desired by means of a ratchet 19. The object of having the hanger 15 attached to eccentric 14 is to relatively raise and lower it in respect to the frame upon which it is carried for the purposes hereinafter explained.

17 is a roller adapted to turn in bearings I 18 and l8 and is rotated by means of a ratchet wheel 19 attached thereto operated by a dog 20' which is carried on a lever 21. 22 is a cross lever pivoted on lever 21, 22 is a rod connecting pawl 20 with lever 21, its object being to disengage pawl 20 from ratchet wheel 19, and 22 is a spring normally adapted to engage dog 20 with ratchet 19. 23 is a lock for ratchet 19'. 28 is a draw bar approximately in the form of a Y having the forked ends pivoted to the front ends of sides 9 and 9 and the other end pivformed straight as shown in Fig. 2, or curved as shown in Fig. 4;. The object in curving it is to permit the front wheels to go under it in turning.

25 is a line attached to each of the sides 9 and 9 at one end, and at the other end to roller 17. When it is desired to dump the. scraper, roller 17 is turnedby lever 21 and accompanying ratchets her'einbefore de- Draw bar 28 can be projection while draggin scribed, line 25 is wound up and the front end of the bowl is raised. 24 is a line at-- tached at oneend to gate 11 and at the other to roller 17 It is of such length that when roller 17 is turned to wind up line 25, line 24 is also wound up and thereby raises rear gate 11. The position of the scraper bowl is indicated in the dumping position Fig. 4. When it is desired to place the bowl in a position for filling, roller 13 is turned so that eccentric pin 14 is downward, and ratchet catch 23 is released so that the front end of the scraper bowl will drop downward. 16 is a lever or handle extending radially from roller 13, its purpose being to turn said roller. 16 is an auxiliary lever also attached radially to roller 13, 25 is a line attached to front gate 12 at one end and to auxiliary lever 16 at the other. It will be noted that in lowering the rear end of the scraper bowl the same movement of roller 13 automatically raises the front gate 12. When it is desired to transport the scraper so that it will not drag unnecessarily when filled the roller 13 is turned so eccentric pin 14 is at the top thus raising the rear end of the scraper bowl and permitting the front gate 12 to drop in a position closing the front end of the scraper bowl. Then by means of ratchet 19 and roller 17 the front end can be raised so that the bottom of the bowl will clear the earth.

The means for tripping. the pawl 23 is composed of a fulcrum 30 and a lever 31 having an upright post 31 directly under the pawl 23. By pressing downward on lever 31 pawl 23 is released and the weight of the scraper bowl readily rotates the roller 17 32 is a curved member directly under ratchet wheel 19 and brakes it when pawl 23 is released. Member 32 is attached to lever 31 and operates simultaneously with it. 34 is the tongue of the vehicle.

One of the objects of the slot 15 is to permit the bowl to be raised upward inde endent of the frame when the bowl str' es a it over' the ground. It is also noted t at in dumping the scraper the front gate 12 as well as the rear gatell are opened, and the dropping of the scraper bowl to the ground does not normally throw the front gate into a closed position. For the purpose of closing the front gate I have provided an auxiliary line 26 which is attached to the front gate at one end, the other end extending through the floor of the platform. By means of the line, the front gate can be pulled in a closed position.

I claim as new and ask for Letters Patent:

1. In a leveler of the character described, the combination of a rectangular frame supported on wheels. a Windlass operated by a ratchet journaled transversely across said frame, and a shaft having enlarged ends with eccentric pins therein journaled to said frame parallel with said Windlass, a scraper, hangers pivoted at one end to the rear of said scraper and at the other end pivoted to said eccentric pin, hand means for moving and locking said shaft, lines attached to the front end of said scraper and attached to said Windlass, said Windlass being adapted to raise the front end of said scraper.

2. The combination of a frame supported on wheels, a Windlass operated by a ratchet journaled transversely across said frame, a shaft having eccentric projections journaled parallel with said Windlass to said frame, a scraper having a bottom, two sides and a gate at each end, hangers pivoted at one end to said eccentric projections, and at the other end to the rear end of said scraper, a radialprojection from said shaft, a line from the front gate to said radial projection, said line, radial projection and shaft being adapted to raise the front gatewhen the shaft is turned so that the rear end of the scraper is lowered, substantially as described, together with means for raising and lowering the front end of the scraper independent of the rear end of said scraper.

3. In a land leveler the combination of a frame supported on wheels, a Windlass operated by a ratchet journaled transversely across said frame, an auxiliary shaft having eccentric projections journaled parallel with said Windlass, hangers pivoted at one end to the rear of the scraper, said hangers having a slotted portion adapted to permit said eccentric extensions to be slidingly pivoted therein, and means for raising the front end of the scraper consisting of lines attached to said scraper and adapted to be wound on said Windlass, substantially as described. j

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a frame supported on, wheels, a Windlass operated by a ratchet journaled transversely across said frame, an

auxiliary shaft having eccentric projections at each end journaled parallel with said Windlass, a scraper having a bottom, two sides, and gates at each end adapted to open upward, a hanger pivoted on each side of the scraper to the rear thereof, and pivoted to said eccentric pins, means for rotating and for locking said shaft, means for raising the front end of the scraper and opening the rear gate of said scraper simultaneously consisting of lines extending from the front end of the scraper, and from the rear gate, to the windlass,-and adapted to be wound on said Windlass, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame carried on wheels, a Windlass operated by a ratchet, said Windlass being journaled transversely across said frame, an auxiliary shaft having eccentric pins extending endwise therefrom, hangers pivotally connecting the eccentric a scraper having normally open ends, vertipins with the rear end of said scraper, subcally swinging gates adapted to close said stantially as described,

open ends, lines from the front end of the LOUIS JAMES MITCHELL scraper and from the rear gate adapted to Witnesses: raise the front end of the scraper and the J. W. HARPER,

gate when wound on said Windlass, and O .F GIDDINGS. 

